Asthi-Visarjana

(“scattering the bones”) Name for a particular ceremony performed as one of the last
rites (antyeshthi samskara) connected
with death. In this ritual, bits of bone and
ash collected from the cremation site in
the rite of asthi-sanchayana are immersed
in the waters of the Ganges or some other
sacred river. This is the final ceremony
for the dead, since in earlier times the
collected remains might be kept for years
before a family member was able to bring
them to a pilgrimage place (tirtha) to perform this rite. Modern transportation has
changed this pattern somewhat, making it
more common for asthi-visarjana to be
carried out immediately after death but
before the sapindikarana ceremony on
the twelfth day.
This rite is still widely performed in
modern India and remains important for
at least two reasons: On one hand, there is
the symbolism of redemption for the dead
through consigning their ashes to the
sacred waters, and on the other, providing
definitive ritual closure for the living.